Fracture of the talus

Abstract

A total of 218 talar injuries were studied with particular attention to the nature and extent of associated injuries. In 96 patients (44%) there was a fracture of one of the neighbouring bones, viz. 59 fractures of the ankle, 27 of the calcaneum, and 11 of the navicular. Talar injury, ankle fracture, and calcaneal fracture co-existed in 7 patients. Among the cases complicated by ankle fractures 15 were open (25%) and many affected the trochlea (37%). Thirty-six (61%) of the ankle fractures associated with talar injuries were of the supination type, 8 of the pronation type, 5 of the pronation-external rotation type, and 2 of the supination-external rotation type. Of the talar injuries occurring in a supinated foot about half were shearing fractures of the talar neck. Of the 27 calcaneal fractures 11 were compression fractures with depression of the joint surface, whereas the others were non-displaced shearing fractures or avulsion fractures. It is concluded that as a rule the talar injury is not isolated, but associated with a more extensive regional injury and that a supination force is the decisive factor causing a talar injury.